What is involved
in developing a Small Group Ministry in my congregation? That was the question
on the minds of most of the people who gathered at Forest Lawn church in Calgary
last February 6 & 7. What is involved
in developing a Small Group Ministry in my congregation? That was the question
on the minds of most of the people who gathered at Forest Lawn church in Calgary
last February 6 & 7.
Organizing the event was spearheaded by Betsy Young, the Pastoral Care Coordinator of Calgary Presbytery. The event was called "Leadership for Life," and promoted small groups as a powerful way of providing great care for people.
The objective of the event was to introduce potential members of congregational design teams to small group ministry, provide an opportunity to experience being part of a small group, and to create a plan for developing a small group ministry in their congregation.
A Clergy
Day
Friday was just for clergy. The first question dealt with was how communities have changed. Most of us today are looking for more depth in our relationships. We tend to work in larger organizations, live in larger cities, know few of our neighbours.
There is a hunger for the intimacy that comes from really knowing one another and being there for each other. In earlier times, much of that came naturally out of small town living. Today, we have to be more self-conscious about creating groups where that can safely happen. That is where Small Group Ministry comes in.
Scott Peck has
a definition that captures what many are seeking. "Community," he
says, "is a safe place precisely because no one is attempting to heal or
convert you, to fix you, to change you. Instead, the members accept you as you
are. You are free to be you. And being so free, you are free to discard defences,
masks, disguises; free to seek your own psychological and spiritual health;
free to become your whole and holy self."
Those present looked at the organizational building blocks for a congregation, small groups as spiritual places, the clergy role in small group ministry, and how to introduce a small group ministry in your congregation.
Loren Mead, former head of the Alban Institute, says "Lay persons are not assistants to the pastor, to help him do his work. Rather, the pastor is to be their assistant: he is to help equip them for the ministry to which God has called them."
Small Groups are Working
On Saturday, the ranks swelled to some 50 lay people and clergy.
Church consultant Bill Easum says that we use 20% of a 150-member congregation to maintain the bureaucracy we have created, and most of these bureaucracies are controlling environments-not places where ministry happens. We have circled the wagons, so to speak, to protect what we have rather than really reaching out to those who are not part of our congregations.
There is no question that what we have been doing isn't working. Many evangelical churches are finding small groups are working. Many now believe it is time for the main-line church to explore how to implement them in our congregations.
Participants worked in congregation groups to explore the reasons why they would implement a Small Group Ministry. They created pictures of what they wanted their congregation to look like.
Some groups
are based around age or stage-couples, newcomers, singles, women, men, etc.
Need based groups bring people together around grief support, single again,
cancer survival, etc. Task based groups centre on doing a particular job. Interest
based groups bring together hikers, camera fans, Bible study, book readers,
etc.
The day finished with a planning session, each congregation looking at practical ways to take advantage of what a Small Group Ministry could do in their congregation.
Congregational Life Newsletter Vol. 10 No. 3 March 2004